More excellent reviews of Coldplay's concert at the Home Depot Center, Carson, CA (18th July 2009) have been posted at the Coldplay Live forum, that didn't quite make the main review article in time this morning. Here are just some of the many:
Okay the show last night was incredible. It beat my experience at the Honda Center last year. I couldn't see sometimes because i'm only 5'5 but when I started looking around heads i could(plus the Bigscreens). Anyways it was so much fun, Chris was his usual self, very energetic and funny. The crowd was okay in my section. I tried to start a chant a couple of times but no one else joined around me.
At the end of Yellow the singalong didn't work out that well, even Chris noticed because he said something along the lines "We need to work on those lyrics". I sang along to every song and jumped around. They sang Billie Jean incredibly well, I was standing on my chair when they went to the C stage and so were a whole bunch of people but the security made us all get down when they left that stage. Chris, Guy, Jonny, and Will all looked very good.
I don't care if some people don't like Chris with his long curly hair, but I love it. Chris kept saying a couple of times how we were all here to see David Beckham but I was like "No I'm here to see you and Guy's HOTTER!" When they came back for their final encore Chris said something about how LA was their home away from home and that they have played in LA more times than anywhere else besides London.
I'm so glad they do because I love seeing them perform live and plan to see them again on their next tour. At the end of the show I experienced a bittersweet feeling. I was so happy because I had just had the best time of my life but I was sad that it was over, until next time I guess. I filled my Viva bag with butterflies and I got my LRLRL cd on my way out. I almost didn't get it because they ran out in the exit I was getting out from but I ran back inside and a security almost didn't let me through but I was like I am not leaving without my CD and ran through her, I got it though from the main exit where they still had a lot left.
I took videos and pictures but I can't upload them because my laptop is down but I will soon. I got home around 1:30 am and went straight to bed but I slept with a smile on my face because that was the best day ever! Viva La Vida and Viva Coldplay! [thanks iduran20]
Five months of anticipation had all built up to this. My friend and I had left Ventura early in anticipation of potential traffic. Yet it was less brutal than expected, and as a result, we arrived at 4:30 PM, which was two hours before gates opened. Only a few folks were waiting at the gate, but we joined them after purchasing our obligatory expensive merchandise. We chatted with a few fans, but impatience was growing as the gate opening was delayed by a full half-hour. But when we entered, the view of the still-empty stadium was breathtaking. After bolting to the nearest bathroom, we quickly hopped down to our center-floor seats.
The stadium filled up slowly, and still was at minimal capacity by the time the first support act - Kitty, Daisy, & Lewis - showed up. The crowd was only mildly receptive to this act, but was slightly more open to the follow-up act, Amadou & Mariam. By the time they finished, the seats began filling up quickly. The delay in gate opening had caused a delay in Coldplay's entrance, and tensions were running high. But a screech of excitement blared across the stadium as the speakers turned up and began blaring "Magnificent" by U2, followed by a breakdancing roadie who really got the crowd going. Suddenly, the Blue Danube Waltz began, and people rose to their feet (I, as much as I tried, was not able to get the remainder of my section to stand).
Lights out.
Coldplay took to the stage to the roaring sound of crazed fans, and you'd better believe that I was in the upper tier of screaming loons. The screams would hit their apex as the band concluded "Violet Hill", as Chris repeatedly urged the crowd to yell as loud as they could. While most of my immediate area didn't even know the lyrics to "Clocks", I had an utterly fantastic time belting out song after song, even though I can't help but feel I annoyed the hell out of the less-enthusiastic people around me with my frantic glowstick action. For the most part, Chris was not as talkative as in the past, most letting out brief references to David Beckham or dropping profanities whenever he fudged up a note (I counted three instances of the word "fuck" during the night). I suppose nearly 150 shows on a tour will tire you out like that.
But the moment that got the crowd roaring the most was, as usual, the C-stage entrance. As they walk down the side of the stadium, I bolted to the edge of my row to get a close-up glimpse. My camera phone's picture quality disappointed me there, and I doubt the band members could hear me shouting their names as they passed, but all was still fun. The floor stood on their seats while the band was on the C-stage (I almost fell off a couple times), with big cheers as the band started a brief imporvisation about Los Angeles. But the highlight for me began minutes later, as glorious butterfly confetti rained down on me and I began plucking them one-by-one out of the air.
As the gig ended, the folks in front of me were apparently aloof to the concept of an encore and left immediately after "Death and All His Friends" ended, giving me as much space as I needed to jam out to the final two songs, glowstick in hand. When the band finally left, I felt gleeful, yet upset that it may be the last time I see them for a few years. My friend helped me scoop up any remaining paper butterflies in our area. We nabbed LeftRightLeftRightLeft on our way out as people were humming the infamous Viva la Vida chant in the parking lot. After struggling to find the freeway onramp, we were on our way back from an experience that will live on in our memories. [thanks Corkus]
The show was incredible! This was my first Coldplay show and it didn't disappoint. I was one of the people 12 miles back Chris was talking about . It didn't matter, I was at the very front, very near the middle. My mom and I arrived around 4:50 pm and there wasn't a lot of people. I expected a lot more. We sat until around 6 when people around us started getting ready to go in. Unfortunately, we had to wait till around 6:20 to get in. Once we were in we hurried to the Grass Berm area. We were probably one of the first 15 people up there.
Once there we settled in the very front, near the middle. My mom and I took turns to go to the bathroom. Bought nachos and pretzels. It was a long wait till the first opening act. The opening act came in at around 7:30. I thought there weren't going to be a lot of people since almost half is still not in their seats by then. My mom wanted me to buy from the merch already but I hesitated, wanting not to miss anything.(Bad idea) The second act came in.
Then Coldplay came in around 8:20 or so. The crowd went nuts. In the very back, I can attest that people weren't very enthusiastic. I was one of the few people cheering them on. During the not so known songs, I was one of the few singing along with them and some was chatting through it I took very few pictures since I only had a 5 megapixel camera with 2.4 optical zoom. This didn't result on me enjoying the concert more. I don't know why but people didn't seem loud in between songs. People in the back did start going nuts when Coldplay went to the back to do acoustic songs.
During the wait for the encore, I saw people leaving. I couldn't believe it! There were also people walking in the walkway right below the berm in between songs. All in all, it didn't affect my experience because I'm not the one that missed out on Coldplay, it's them. After the concert, I went down to the merch to get a shirt, they sold out on tour book and bracelets though I also went and picked up a couple of butterflies and exited with LRLRL. My mom told me that it's pretty sweet of them to give out free cds. Thinking about it, they probably have to give more than 1 million cd's by the end of their tour. She also said they don't have a break in between their sets; like a first and second act in a play.
It took us 10 mins or so to get out of the parking lot. We did go through the side street to avoid the traffic. After entering the freeway, we had a 30 min drive home. *As I am writing this I hear Lovers In Japan playing loudly from my neighbor. I don't know if he/she went to the concert but either way good of him/her. [thanks y3110w]
My wife, stepdaughter and I began our evening eating at Fatburger in Carson off of Avalon around 4:30 or so. We finished up and headed over to the Home Depot Center around 5:30. I parked close to an exit thinking it would help on the way out (no, it didn't) and we hit the Merchandise stand outside of the Northeast gate. I got the "glow in the dark" poster with the date and location of our show, my wife got some bracelets to support child day care efforts in Senegal and our daughter got the bracelets and a blouse.
We went back to the car so our daughter could change her blouse and I put my poster safely back in the car. We next stood in line for about 40 minutes as the gates didn't open until 6:30ish. We sat on the grass berm area and let our daughter pick out our spot. She chose a good one. A little left of the stage and a little into the grass berms incline. We laid out our blankets and got ready to enjoy the opening acts. I actually enjoyed the music from KD&L. Their sound was lively, varied and fun. I appreciated the energy of Amadou & Mariam.
Then, U2's "Magnificent" was played and my (as well as the crowd's) anticipation level grew. There was another "hip-hop" tune before "The Blue Danube" was played. That was fun as we waved our arms and clapped along with the tune. At the end of the "Danube" the lights went dark and I nearly lost it! Let me preface the rest of my review by stating that Viva la Vida is not my favorite Coldplay album. This was my third Coldplay concert and the setlist was understandably Viva heavy. As usual the boys didn't disapoint. They sounded great, Chris' voice was angelic and his piano play was mesmerizing, Jonny's guitar play soared and was flawless. Will's energetic drum playing provided the backbone of the band's performance and then Guy's cool, calm and collected performance provided just the right amount of serenity to balance everything out.
My favorite performances of the evening were Light in Technicolor II, Strawberry Swing and In My Place, but the real highlight for me was watching my 13 year old stepdaughter rock her little heart out. This was just the 2nd concert I've been to with her. She was just six when I took her to see No Doubt with Garbage back in 2002. I've raised her well and just had so much fun watching her and her mom rock out. That really made the night unforgettable for me. We sang together, we danced together, we laughed together and cheered together. She thanked me multiple times after the show was over.
On the way out my wife treated herself to a shirt and got our daughter a Viva la Vida cap. Special thanks to Coldplay for another great performance and for their generous gift of a free CD! Until the next time, folks, it's been fun and I look forward to their next album and tour. Take care everyone. [thanks mostang65]
Coldplay at Home Depot Center, Carson, CA (18th July 2009):
Pictures by u2soul @Flickr
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